Automatic breech-sight for pistols.



No. 790,634. PATENTED MAY 23, 1905.

H. HIRSH. AUTOMATIC BREEGH SIGHT FOR PISTOLS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 1, 1904.

7 (NI/ENTOI?" \Lx izar 19 2719]? 7 ATTORNEYS Patented May 23, 1905.

PATENT @EEicE.

HARRY HIRSH, OF EASTMAN, GEORGIA.

AUTOMATIC BREECH-SIGHT FOR PISTOLS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 790,634, dated May 23, 1905.

Application filed August 1, 1904:. erial No. 219,038.

To It whom/ it bury concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY HIRSH, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Eastman, in the county of Dodge and State of Georgia, have invented a new and Improved Automatic Breech-Sight for Pistols, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The purpose of this invention is to provide an automatically-operated breech-sight for a pistol or a sight which is not brought into the line of vision until a cartridge is in position to enter the barrel and, furthermore, to so construct the improved breech-sight that it is operated by the bullet and not by the shell of the cartridge placed in position for firing, thus enabling the sight to disappear or drop from the range of vision after firing and to be again brought up to view when the next loaded cartridge is brought opposite the barrel in position to be discharged.

Another purpose of the invention is to construct a sight of the character described in an exceedingly simple, durable, and economic manner and so that it will operate positively whenever required and will further operate with the least possible amount of friction.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the several parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of a revolver to which the improved sight is applied, the sight being in elevated position and in side elevation. Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken practically on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal section through a portion of the cylinder and a portion of the frame, showing the improved sight elevated and in full side elevation. Fig. 4 is an enlarged transverse section through a portion of the frame of the cylinder and a transverse section through the improved rear or breech sight, illustrating the manner in which the rear end of the breech-sight is carried above the upper face of the frame when the cartridge is in firing position; and Figs. 5 and 6 are detail views of the elevating-buttons carried by the cylinder, one being provided for each cartridge-chamber, which elevatingbuttons act upon the forward end of the rear sight and elevate its rear end.

A represents the barrel of a revolver; B, the frame; C, the cylinder; D, the cartridgeshells which are placed in the cylinder, and D the bullets carried by the said shells.

The cylinder is provided with the usual openings or pockets 10, in which the shells are placed, and in connection with the bullets of the said shells a series of trip-buttons E is employed, one for each chamber or pocket of the cylinder 0. These trip-buttons E are all of the same formation, each consisting of a shank 12, mounted to slide in the cylinder, a bottom head 11, adapted for engagement with the bullet of a shell, and an upper head 11. These several parts of the trip-buttons may be assembled and secured together for cooperative action in any suitable or approved manner. The lower head 11 of each trip-button E has more or less movement in a recess 13, formed in the cylinder at one inner wall of the cartridge-carrying chamber, while the upper head 11 of each trip-button has movement in an upper recess 14, produced at the outer or peripheral face of the said cylinder C.

The sight, which is a rear sight and is used in conjunction with the ordinary muzzle-sight a, is designated in its entirety as F, and the said rear sight F is mounted for movement in a pocket E, formed in the upper portion of the frame above the cylinder 0. This rear or breech sight F, which is vertically adjustable, consists of a horizontal body 15, an upwardly-extending rear member 16, terminating at its upper end in a head 17, which extends transversely of the frame, and a forward downwardly extending member 18, which is adapted at its lower endto be engaged by the upper heads 11 of the trip-buttons E. To that end atoe 19 is extended transversely from the lower forward end of the sight F, as is shown in Fig. 4, the said toe being located in a recess 20, made transversely in the frame where the cylinderC turns, as is shown in Fig. 4c. The upper rear member 16 of the sight F is provided with a vertical slot 16, through which a pin 16 is passed, permitting the said sight to rise and fall, yet limiting its movement in an upper and in a lower direction, and a similar slot 18 is made in the lower forward member 18, and through this latter slot 18 a rod 18 is passed, which serves the same purpose as the pin 16 above referred to. The upper portion of the pocket or chamber E, in which the body portion of the sight F is located, is enlarged sufficiently to receive a spring E and this spring has bearing in a downward direction upon the upper edge of the body 15 of the sight F, tending normally to throw the said sight downward, so that the rear transverse head 17 of the sight, which is provided with the usual sighting-groove, is automatically carried downward practically on a level with the upper face of the frame when the cylinder has been turned so as to bring a space between the cartridge-chambers in alinement with the forward bottom member 18 of the sight. In order that the said sight F may work freely and with the least possible amount of friction, 1 preferably employ a friction-roller 17, mounted in the frame B, having frictional engagement with the rear vertical edge of the rear upper member 16 of said sight F.

It may here be remarked, as is shown in Fig. 2, that the recess 20 at the upper portion of the lower face of the frame B is duplicated at the inner lower portion of the frame, and is designated as 20, in order that the cylinder C may turn without the trip-buttons E- meeting with any obstruction except engagement with the toe 19 at the bottom front portion of the sight F.

A chamber 21, which may be termed a cam-chamber, as its walls are irregular, is formed in the bottom portion of each bottom head 11 of the trip-buttons, and in these chambers 21, formed in said trip-buttons, segmental plates 22 are located, having segmental slots 23 formed therein, extending practically from a point near their centers in direction of one of their ends. Pivot-pins 24 pass through the slots 23, as is illustrated in Figs. and 6. As the cylinder 0 revolves these segmental plates 22 are in engagement with the bullets D, carried by the shells D. Consequently when a shell is brought to an upper position, or a position to permit the bullet carried thereby to enter the barrel A, the bullet will have'a cushioned engagement with the plate 22 over the chamber in the cylinder in which the cartridge-shell is placed, and at such time the upper head 11 of the said trip-button, which is in uppermost position, will engage .with the lower end of the lower forward member 18 of the sight F and will cause the said sight to be elevated to such an extent as to bring the head 17 at the rear upper end of the sight in sighting relation to the muzzle or forward sight a. However, after the shell has been exploded the absence of the bullet from the shell will permit the trip-button E just brought into action to drop and will thereby release the sight F from upward pressure, and the spring E then acting will force the sight F downward and bring the said rear sight out of action or cause it to disappear, to be again brought into action only when the cylinder C has been revolved to bring another loaded shell in position at the breech end of the barrel A. It will thus be observed that the action of the sight F is automatic throughout, being raised to the sighting position only when a loaded shell is in firing position and dropping out of action the moment that the shell is fired. It will also be observed that a revolver fitted with the automatically-adjustable sight F offers better opportunities for accurate firing than when a muzzle-sight only is employed, and that the rear sight forms no obstruction to the carriage of the pistol, and generally the cartridges are not brought into a position for firing in a safety-revolver when the revolver is in a pocket or bolster. The sight and the top of the tip-button constitute a double safety-indicator, and by enameling or coloring the top of the sight a constant warning will be provided for the user.

Having thus described myinvention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent-- 1. A revolver comprising a rear sight normally held out of sighting relation to the muzzle, and means for carrying the same into operative position on turning the cartridge-cylinder to bring a cartridge into firing position.

2. A revolver comprising a rear sight normally held out of sighting relation to the m uzzle, and means for carrying the same into 0perative position on turning the cartridge-cylinder to bring a cartridge into firing position, said means being actuated by the balls of the cartridges.

3. A revolver comprising a rear sight and means for causing disappearance of the same on turning the cartridge-cylinder to bring the space between two of its chambers in line with the muzzle.

4:. A revolver comprisinga rear sight, means for causing disappearance of the same on turning the cartridge-cylinder to bring the space between two of its chambers in line with the muzzle, and means for again bringing said sight into operative position on further turning the cartridge-cylinder to bring a cartridge into firing position.

5. A revolver comprising a rear sight, means for causing disappearance of the same on turning the cartridge-cylinder to bring the space between two of its chambers in line with the muzzle, and means for again bringing said sight into operative position on further turning the cartridge-cylinder to bring a cartridge into firing position, said last-named means being actuated by the balls of the cartridges.

6. A revolver comprising a rear sight, having means for normally maintaining the operative member thereof substantially flush with the frame of the structure, and means for elevating said member on turning the cartridge-cylinder to bring a cartridge into firing position.

7. A revolver comprising a rear sight, having means for normally maintaining the operative member thereof substantially flush with the frame of the structure, and means for elevating said member on turning the cartridge-cylinder to bring a cartridge into firing position, said last-named meansbeing actuated by the balls of the cartridges.

8. In a revolver,aframe,a spring-controlled sight mounted for movement in the frame, having an upwardly-extending sighting member at its rear end and a downwardLV-extending operating member at its forward end, and trip-buttons carried in the cylinder, one over each cartridge-chamber therein, the saidtripbuttons being so placed as to be engaged by the bullets of the cartridges carried by the said cylinder.

9. In arevolver,aframe,a spring-controlled sight mounted for movement in the frame, having an upwardly-extending sighting member at its rear end and a downwardly-extending operating member at its forward end, tripbuttons carried in the cylinder, one over each cartridge-chamber therein, the said trip-buttons being so placed as to be engaged by the bullets of the cartridges carried by the said cylinder, a friction-roller in engagement with the said sight, a spring normally acting with downward pressure on the said sight, and means for limiting the movement of the sight in the frame.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presenceof two subscribing witnesses.

HARRY HIRSH. Witnesses:

HENRY HERRMAN, D. A. COOPER. 

